


In Darkness, There Is Light

by Politewriter



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Child Abuse, Eventual Romance, Family Feels, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Hurt/Comfort, Isekai, Magic, Royalty, Self-Indulgent, Self-Insert, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but it'll be okay i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:00:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Politewriter/pseuds/Politewriter
Summary: Daniella and her twin brother had lived their entire lives in the shadow of their older sister. But when tragedy strikes, an opportunity arises. Forge a pact with a person known as the "Demonic Duchess", or live her life as it's fated to be. Both paths are sure to be lain with trouble and grief, though Daniella is prepared to walk through fire if it meant securing her survival.





	1. Cutting Fate's Thread

**Author's Note:**

> I switched the POV after the initial first scene, as I thought it'd be easier to understand who the characters were and the emotions they felt if the first scene was in 1st POV. The rest of the story will be in third person, sorry about that cheap switch.

The noose tightened around my neck, making my anguished screams come out in a hoarse cry. I was barefoot on this cobblestone bridge, which provided me with little to no traction on my inevitable march towards death. I tried to dig my heels into the ground, but the rough stone only served to cut my feet to ribbons as I was dragged towards that dreaded gazebo. 

“Father, please!” My brother cried out from behind me.

I whipped my head around to see that Damian had fallen to the ground. His fingertips had left a trail of blood behind because of the way the gardener was dragging him away. Damian’s bright blue eyes were swimming in tears as he pleaded with our father for mercy. I have never seen Damian this desperate and scared before, he had always been the calmer of the two of us. But it made sense. He was begging for his life, after all. 

“You miserable fool! Throw them into the fire at once!” My father seethed from the opposite end of the bridge.

The safe end of the bridge. My mother was pressed into his shoulder, unable to look at the flames that began to lick the roof of the gazebo. The fire had no kindling, no fuel, it’s color a hellish black and red that swirled together like an impressionistic painting. It seemed to get bigger, hungrier, with every passing second. That was our fate. To be the fodder that feeds this otherworldly fire. We knew this day was inevitable, but never did we realize its horror. 

“Useless, the lot of you!” My father shouted, shoving my mother aside. “If they’re not in the fire by sundown, I’ll throw you in too!”

I felt the lead end of my noose pull taught and I stumbled forward, nearly face planting on the bridge’s unforgiving surface. My father snatched the shovel from the grounds keeper’s hand, slamming the handle into Damian’s chest to push him further back. The chef flung the gazebo’s door open, and some of the flames escaped, curling around Damian’s ankle like the tentacle of a sea creature. It dragged him, kicking and screaming, into the gazebo as if it were sentient. And maybe it was. Damian’s pain was known throughout the valley, as his voice rang out like a church bell in a quiet town. I didn’t have to be dragged towards the gazebo anymore. I ran to it, tears streaming down my face. 

“Damian!” I exclaimed, reaching a hand through the gazebo’s open mouth to pull my brother from the fire.

The fire was already upon him. It singed through the fibers of his clothes, a ritualistic piece of fabric made of the finest cottons. The only nice clothes we had ever owned. His skin was cracked and blistered from the heat, his blood mixing with the smoke and ash. I’ve never seen blood boil before, nor did I know that eyeballs could melt. He screamed and cried in agony, but no tears fell. Even if he could cry, I’m sure the flames would have immediately evaporated his tears. 

I felt the flat end of a shovel collide against my back with a resounding ‘ _ thwap’ _ , and then I was also tumbling into that inferno. The gazebo’s door was locked behind me, and my fate was sealed just like that. I pounded against the door, begging for someone to save us. But the smoke that filled the gazebo obstructed the glass windows so much that I could no longer see out. I couldn’t even tell if there was anyone out there to hear my pleas. The fire was dreadful. I could feel my skin blister and peel away. How could Damian survive this? I couldn’t even see him inside this hellhole anymore. 

“Dani…”

But I could hear him. 

“Damian? Damian, where are you?” I called out, desperate not to be alone in my last moments. 

I placed a hand on the wall of the gazebo, using it as a guide as I trudged through the fire like I was trying to find a light switch in the dark. I couldn’t keep my eyes open for very long. The smoke burned my eyes and stung my throat. I felt like I could barely breathe. 

“Dani… Dani, I will save you,” Came Damian’s voice again.

“Where are you? I’m scared.” I sobbed, my voice croaking in pain. 

“ _ We will save you _ _._ ” A voice that was not Damian’s said.

A hand reached out of the flames, it was burnt so bad it was barely anything more than a few scraps of skin hanging off of a bone. But even still, I knew it was Damian’s. It seized me by the front of my dress.

“ _ You must survive, child _ .” The disembodied voice said.

No… it was  _ voices _ . A dozen or so voices were overlapped on top of each other, like a haunting echo. They were young and child-like, yet scratchy and old. Something more akin to hearing a corrupted voice recording. 

“ _ Survive. Your brother is going to be the last of us _ ,” The voices said.

Damian’s hand was suddenly joined by a dozen others. But these were different. They looked incorporeal, like wisps of light. They grabbed my arms, my wrist, my legs. If they hadn’t held me so firmly, I would have thought they weren’t real. They shoved me against the gazebo’s wall, the flames slowly creeping towards me as it looked for its next meal.

“ _ Live _ ,” The voices commanded. 

“Live for us, live for me.” Damian’s voice said.

And then the window behind me shattered and the hands that had seized me let go. I stumbled backwards, plummeting through the air as I fell down into the rocky valley below. The chilly air felt both like a relief and a curse on my burns. My stomach had dropped the several thousand feet below me, the first to hit the ground. And as I fell, I watched the flames slowly consume what was left inside of the gazebo. My tears drifted up into that endless grey sky as my jet black hair fluttered around me. What a horrible way to die. I somehow managed to escape the fiery hell of that gazebo, only to plummet to my death in the rocky cliffs that my house had been built next to. I would have liked to hold my brother as I died. But I guess even in death, we were alone. 

The ground came sooner than I thought it would. I closed my eyes and braced for impact. I hit the ground hard. Hard enough that the ground crumbled underneath the force of me hitting it. But it didn’t hurt. It was a strange sensation. It was the knowledge of pain, without the white, hot searing of nerves. Somewhere above me, the image of me lying on my back, perfectly still, as I stared blankly up at that unchanging and uncaring grey sky was being etched into someone’s memory. My jet black hair was no longer that inky hue, instead that color had completely faded. I thought it had been left over smoke wafting from my hair as I fell, but I knew that to be wrong now. I caught a glimpse of it just before I fell unconscious. It was pure white.

~~*~~

When Dani awoke, she had expected to see the pearly gates of the next world. On the optimistic side of her heart, she had hoped that she had done enough that she would be allowed to enter heaven. But instead, Dani found the abysmally familiar ceiling of her bedroom. The attic's ceiling was made of such an old and soft wood that all the rain had warped its grain into looking like monstrous faces. When Dani was a child, that used to scare her. 

Dani sat up slowly, wincing when she had used her arm for support. Glancing down at the source of her pain, she noticed some bandages had been wrapped around her arm and realized that someone at least gave her the minimum amount of care required. Dani picked at the wrapping until it came loose, and she was horrified by the burns underneath. It looked as if a rapid animal had raked its claws down her arm, producing three long strips where the skin had split and began to blister. It didn’t look like any topical salve had been applied to Dani’s wounds. She got the feeling they were bandaged up only because a certain someone didn’t want to see them. Dani retied the bandages on both arms, careful not to do it too tightly. Burn wounds… She paused to think of what else she needed to do to treat her injuries. 

“Infection is my number one priority, but I remember reading something about…” Dani thought aloud, crossing her legs as she ran through the archives of her mind. “That dehydration is a problem, since the wound will leak fluids now that the body’s protection against water loss has been burned away.”

Dani nodded to herself decisively as she came to an informed conclusion. She glanced over to the other small cot ready, to ask Damian to come with her, freezing when she realized it was empty. The shadows of this poorly lit room suddenly sharpened when Dani realized how alone she was now. Dani walked over to Damian’s bed, running a hand over his sheets absentmindedly. He had slept there last night peacefully, both siblings blissfully unaware that only one would return the next evening for slumber. Though Dani guessed it would be more accurate to say that he’s the one sleeping now. 

Damian and Dani were twins. They were fraternal, but that didn’t mean they weren’t as close as the stereotype that followed identical twins around. Even before yesterday’s horrors, their home life had been hostile and the only people they could depend on had been each other. They had done everything together. Huddling together like prey animals, because they knew it would be safer in numbers. It didn’t always work, but that marginal difference had made living bearable. But now, Damian was gone.

Dani stuck a hand through the hole in the mattress Damian had created using a penknife he lifted off one of the butlers. He had stored the little amount of money the twins had managed to get their hands on in there, as well as a few other things that mattered. What Dani was looking for was a photo. This picture was of the twins standing on the mansion’s main staircase, all dressed up for their fifth birthday. Instead of having a birthday party, their father had sent out letters with this photo attached. A testament that they were still alive and “thriving”. The twins were even smiling in this photo, because it’s the first time Damian and Dani have ever gotten a picture of themselves. This was Dani’s only memento of Damian. Her memories of him were intangible. But this? This was proof he existed. 

“You’re letting yourself get swallowed up by misery,” Dani chastised herself. “Damian would have yelled at me for crying like this instead of treating my wounds.”

Even though he wasn’t here, Dani could practically hear the lecture she would have gotten from Damian. With a renewed sense of resolution, Dani opened the bedroom door and began to make her way downstairs to the kitchen. She would need fresh water to clean her wounds and to re-hydrate herself. Dani was careful and quiet, as to not get caught. She even forgoed putting on shoes, as it would be much easier to sneak around in socks than in those clumsily stitched together boots.

As she descended the stairs, the decor became nicer and nicer. Usually the attic was a place reserved for storage or servants, so there was no need for it to look as luxurious as the downstairs where the main family lived. The banister was made of iron and marble. The floors were made of a pristine, white tile and the walls were decorated tastefully with paintings of vast landscapes. There was even a plush carpet laid out in the foyer during these winter months, as it helped keep the rooms warm. 

“Half a year?” A familiar voice gasped in disbelief. “ How can I wait half a year!?”

Dani paused mid step as she came across the drawing room. The door was cracked open just a smidge and the light from inside was leaking out into the hallway, much like the voices of this private conversation were doing. 

“Sweetie, my lovely Arabella,” came a much deeper voice. “We just have to wait until then. Before you know it, that time shall come to pass.”

“That’s Father…” Dani said in a hushed whisper. “And Arabella... but why?”

Dani shuffled along the hallway walls to peer inside of the room, curious as to why her family was having such a heated conversation. 

Arabella was Dani and Damian’s older sister. She was a young woman at eighteen years of age. She had long, golden locks and emerald green eyes, just like their father. She was slender and poised, and wore beautiful dresses like no other noble lady could. Arabella was beloved by their parents, cherished for her talents in social graces. 

Arabella had been absent yesterday, though Dani was unsure if it was because she couldn’t bear to see her siblings burned alive, or if she was just so disinterested in their deaths that she couldn’t be bothered to show up. But what was this conversation about? Arabella’s engagement?

“This is all so displeasing, Father. Why did that little runt not get burned by the fire?” Arabella said, biting her thumb in annoyance. “Because of her, everything is ruined!”

Dani’s father reached an affectionate hand out to his oldest daughter, smoothing some of her blonde locks away from her eyes. 

“Don’t be upset, sweetie. You’ve awakened some of your powers, have you not?” Their father had soothed. “That is proof that the first sacrifice has worked. We’ll just have to bide our time until we can do the next one.”

Dani slapped a hand over her mouth before she could gasp. The last thing she needed was to be caught eavesdropping on a conversation that was clearly not meant for her to hear. Dani’s mind was swimming with questions now. They were all bubbling up like a science experiment gone horribly wrong. And if she wanted answers, she’d need to listen in further. 

“Do you really think I can improve our status with these measly powers?” Arabella asked, with the same tone a spoiled child might use if they received a toy they didn’t like as a gift. 

“Oh, that won’t matter. That’s why I had your mother give birth to those pathetic twins.” Their father said, a kind smile pulling on his sharp features. “Those children were born for your benefit, Arabella.”

Those were words that the twins had grown up hearing all their life. They had been born with black hair and blue eyes, a testament to the fact they weren’t of pure noble blood. And it was because of this that their parents had made them work and study for Arabella, so that they could support her as best as possible when she took over the family name. But that’s all that Dani had thought it was. She hadn’t thought that her father had meant it literally. 

“Your blonde hair and green eyes are proof that the Blackwood blood runs strong in your veins.” Mr. Blackwood said, giving Arabella’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “That little runt doesn’t even have an inkling of our blood in her. But now her hair is white, like that of an elderly person.” 

Arabella laughed at this remark, her mood seemingly improving now. 

“ _ Those with hair like that are the most useful sacrifices _ ,” Mr. Blackwood remarked. “So she will finally have some real use for you. But you just have to wait a half a year, my darling. Just that, and nothing more.”

It was all planned. 

There was more to this conversation, Dani could still hear them talking, but she didn’t want to listen anymore. She bolted from that room, looking for the first dark corner she could hide in. Nothing was her’s. Her life, her death, and even her birth. Everything was planned so that Arabella could reap the benefits. The twins were fated to be Arabella’s stepping stone, discarded without much care once their purpose had been fulfilled. What was worse, they had succeeded with Damian. 

“I won’t be their pawn anymore,” Dani said decidedly.

Though her crystal blue eyes were filled with fears, her expression was hard set in determination. 

“The voice said to live for them, Damian said to live for him…” Dani said, wiping her tears away with the backs of her hands. “Then I will, but not like this. I will honor their memory.”


	2. Those That Came Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to gain some insight to what's going on behind the curtain.

The next morning, Dani was dressed and ready to leave just as morning had reached its peak. She had laced her boots extra tight and wore long sleeves to cover her bandages. Dani was a woman on a mission, and she didn’t want something as trivial as stares from strangers to stop her. Though she assumed that her new hair color would draw a reasonable amount of attention on its own. But there wasn’t much she could do about that, as she didn’t own a hat or cloak.

Dani made her way down the stairs to the foyer with confidence this time. There was no sneaking around. Dani had no interest in living life like a passive fly on the wall. And while Dani had made up her mind on this topic, others were not aware. 

“Miss Daniella? This carriage is for the personal use of Miss Arabella.” The coachman had said, confusion evident in his tone as he watched Dani climb aboard. 

“I know,” Dani answered dismissively. “Take me to the Grand Central Library.”

“What?” The coachman protested. “Have you lost your mind? This is Miss Arabella’s carriage. Get out now!”

The coachman moved to grab Dani by the upper arm, intent on throwing her out. But the moment that man laid hands on her, Dani reached her hand back and smacked the coachman across the face with a resounding ‘ _slap’_. 

“How dare you grab my arm!” Dani said, standing up. “And from whom did you learn this kind of behavior?”

The ruckus this conversation had caused was now flagrant enough that a few of the other staff members working outside had stopped what they were doing to stare. The coachman’s mouth was agape with shock. After all, it must be quite a surprise to see the quiet and unerringly obedient child of before speak out like this.

“Am I not a lady of the Blackwood family?” Dani asked the coachman, glaring down at him from the carriage’s coach. 

“Yes of course, Miss.” The coachman said, his gaze falling to the floor humbly. 

“And would you ever dare to put your hands on Miss Arabella, or Lady Blackwood?” Dani continued, unwilling to let the matter slide. 

“N-no, of course not, Miss.” The coachman stuttered out quickly. 

“Then I am no different, correct?” Dani asked. 

“Correct, Miss Daniella.” The coachman said with a deep bow. “I will take you to the Grand Central Library at once.”

With that, the carriage door is closed and the coachman is scurrying to get into place. Inside, Dani stared down at her hand. It stung just a little bit, and she worried about how the coachman must have felt.

“I slapped someone…” 

Doubt seeped into Dani’s words. But she clenched her hand into a fist, willing the sting to go away as she drew the carriage’s curtains closed. 

“I don’t need to care about people who have killed and were willing to kill again.” Dani reminded herself. “I can’t trust them, either.”

The church bells tolled off in the distance, a sound that came closer and closer as the carriage moved towards the inner city. It was nearly afternoon by the time the carriage pulled up the Grand Central Library. It’s busier out now, and the usual bustle of the city had started to flow in. Dani would have loved to admire the library’s gorgeously structured exterior, but she had no time to sight see. This window of free time was small, and she had to use it as productively as possible. Dani hopped down from the carriage when it had stopped, only to glance back at the coachman when she caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye. He had a hand extended out to her, in the hope of helping her down. 

“Wait here until I come back,” Dani ordered. 

“Yes, Miss.”

Dani hurried her way up the stairs leading to the library’s entrance, her face flushed a light shade of red. 

“How embarrassing…” Dani thought to herself, hiding her face in her hands as she walked. “I need to learn some manners. I’m not Arabella’s maid anymore, I need to act like a lady if I intend to keep up this persona.”

But first, Dani had something else she needed to take care of. Dani made her way over to the circulation desk, where a young woman with round glasses was organizing a few pieces of parchment. 

“Excuse me,” Dani said politely to get the woman’s attention.

The young woman adjusted her glasses, passing over Dani the first time she glanced around. Dani stood on her tiptoes, propping her elbows on the desks’ surface so that the woman could see her a little better. 

“Ah, yes. How can I help you, little miss?” The receptionist asked with a warm smile. 

“I would like to check the Blackwood family registry please.” Dani said, more than happy to return the smile.

Every noble family in the empire was required to report births, deaths, and adoptions to the king. In turn, all of that information is recorded in a family’s registry. Before, it was used to keep track of titles and deeds. Additionally, it was a way to deter nobles from having a large amount of illegitimate children. Over time that practice had become socially unacceptable, so there were a lot less occurrences of that now. 

“And it’s for sure there…” Dani had thought to herself. “The reason why Father believes he needs to sacrifice me.”

“Hmm… I’m sorry, Miss.” The receptionist said, looking a little hesitant. “But those records are private to the Blackwood family. If you can’t prove you’re a member of the family, you can’t look at the book. I’m sorry.”

The receptionist did truly look sorry. The receptionist had taken a glance at Dani’s tattered clothing, and made a logical leap that she didn’t belong to a noble family like the Blackwoods. Dani couldn’t really blame her. 

“But,” The receptionist was quick to tack on when she saw Dani’s disheartened expression. “If you have proof of your identity, you can look at the records. Even something small is fine. If you have jewelry engraved with the family crest… or a document written on the family letterhead, something like that.”

Dani frowned, her gaze falling to the floor in dismay. If she was Arabella, there was no doubt that she would have proof. But Damian and Dani had never been allowed out of the estate for things like sightseeing or shopping. Dani sighed in disappointment, and she had come all this way, too. Who knew when she would get another chance like this?

“Oh, wait!” Dani said as the idea struck her. “The carriage. I took a carriage here, and that has the family crest on it. Will that work?”

Dani led the young receptionist out to the front of the library where the coachman had parked the carriage. The coachman spotted Dani at the top of the stairs, and gave a dutiful bow as a greeting. 

“Oh, it’s the carriage of Miss Arabella!” The receptionist said, clapping her hands together. “You must be the youngest daughter of the Blackwood family. I heard that Marquis Blackwoods younger children had a poor constitution, and that they couldn’t go out. But it’s good to see that you’re healthy enough to be up and around!”

Dani inwardly scowled. She knew that her father had come up with some kind of excuse that kept Damian and herself out of the public’s eye, but she hadn’t imagined it would be something so simple.

“Yes, I feel much better today.” Dani replied warmly, not wanting to be rude to a person who’s only been nice to her so far.

“I’ll show you to a reading room then, if you’ll follow me.” The receptionist said, gesturing for Dani to come back inside the library. 

The reading rooms were set up along the west side of the library, to which the receptionist unlocked one and allowed Dani entrance. The room was scarcely decorated with a simple, cushioned chair and a rectangular table. Dani was instructed to sit while the receptionist fetched the records she had asked for. When the receptionist returned, she was wheeling a small hand cart with five books stacked atop each other. 

“The most recent records are written in Common,” the receptionist explained as she began to lay the books out. “But anything dating past five hundred years is likely to be written in the Runic language. If you need help translating, please call upon me or any of the other staff.”

“It’s alright. I can read Runes by myself,” Dani reassured the receptionist.

“Oh, wow! You’re so young, yet you can translate Runes all by yourself?” The receptionist remarked excitedly. “That’s amazing. As expected of such an esteemed family.”

“Th-thank you.” Dani replied with a flustered expression, messing with her bangs just to give her hands something to do. 

It’s the first time that Dani had been praised so openly before. So Dani had become embarrassed by the receptionist’s kind words rather easily. After all, Dani had only been doing what was expected of her. Arabella was the heir of the family, and to be the most useful to her and not to burden her with more responsibilities, Dani had been tasked with all of the studying. Languages, theology, history, law, etc. To her, they were just natural things that everybody learned. 

“Oh my, I’ve disturbed you for too long. Please take your time reading the records.” The receptionist said, realizing that Dani had become embarrassed by her praise. “And when you’re finished, I’ll put the books back for you. So you don’t have to worry about any of that, okay? Just tell a staff member when you’re done.”

The receptionist excused herself from the room, quietly closing the door behind her. Alone with the books, Dani was able to recollect her focus. She had come here for a reason, and it was time to get to work.

Dani rolled up her sleeves and took the first book down from the stack. The years recorded within these pages were scrawled on the inside of the book’s cover, which made narrowing down her search that much easier. But even then, Dani wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for. 

“Father had talked about the sacrifice being related to inheriting power… I’m assuming he means magic.” Dani thought to herself aloud, flipping through the records. “But magic has historically been an innate ability. It’s not something you can manufacture by sacrificing people as material components.”

Dani let the book fall open to a random page as she sighed. She had been hoping to discover proof of these sacrifices. The more information she had on the situation, the better a position she would be in. Dani could negotiate better living arrangements, or even get away from her family entirely, if she could play her cards right. But she needed cards to play first if she was going to even attempt that. And so far, all of the recent entries looked so platitudinously average that nothing stuck out. 

“Oh! But that’s it, isn’t it?” Dani said, snapping her fingers as the idea struck her. “I’ve only been looking at recent records, but there hasn’t been a magic user in the Blackwood family for a hundred years.” 

At least, that was how the stories went. Dani knew from studying that a noble was originally awarded a title because they could produce magic. This was in a time before the Empire was established, so people with magic were coveted in order to help conquer neighboring lands. And once the war was over and peace was brought to all the Empire’s subjects, magic had become less and less utilitarian. Nowadays, it was mainly used as a topic of academic study. 

“Or maybe I’m remembering it wrong?” Dani said, scratching her head. “Because there are only four noble families that are known for the magic that runs through their blood. So what about the other noble families? And there are still soldiers today, so magic should still be valued by leaders looking for power.”

Dani hummed in frustration, trying to force her brain to put the pieces of the puzzle together. But nothing seemed to fit. Dani could only sigh. She tried to reassure herself by thinking that no one person could know everything about history. That was an impossible feat. But even still, she was frustrated that she hadn’t paid closer attention to history before this. That kind of information could really have come in handy now. 

“Even if I remembered wrong, it’s still true that there hasn’t been a magic user in the Blackwood family for a long while.” Dani said resolutely, picking the registry back up. “And if the Blackwoods family is gaining the ability to use magic through the sacrifice of human life, then known magic users should be accompanied by sudden deaths in the family.”

Dani thumbed through the pages, slowing down once she reached a hundred years prior to the current year. She skimmed a finger down each entry, blue eyes scanning the text for information. And sure enough…

_Empire Year: 231, April 3rd._

_Leia Isobel Blackwood_

_Gold of hair, green of eyes (Magically blessed)_

_Died in her sleep, aged 51._

_Empire Year: 191, August 15th._

_Randolph Blackwood_

_White of hair, blue of eyes_

_Died from a fall, aged 11._

_Empire Year: 180, January 20th._

_Orson Jonah Blackwood_

_Gold of hair, green of eyes (Magically blessed)_

_Died of old age, Aged 75._

_Empire Year: 120, June 7th._

_Arlington Blackwood_

_White of hair, blue of eyes_

_Died from injuries sustained in an accident, aged 15._

_Empire Year: 109, March 30th._

_Montgomery Kent Blackwood_

_Gold of hair, green of eyes (Magically blessed)_

_Died of illness, aged 68._

_Empire Year: 49, July 28th._

_Violetta Blackwood_

_White of hair, blue of eyes_

_Died of drowning, aged 8._

On and on the records went, dating back to the near beginning of the Empire. Nearly every magic user lived to a ripe, old age. And prior to their usually peaceful death, was the sudden loss of a sibling. Whether it was an accident, an unknown disease, or burglary, the non-magically gifted children of the Blackwood family always perished from an untimely death. It was a pattern that was easily noticed the moment Dani became aware of it. But there was a bone chilling realization that that hit Dani as she studied this pattern more closely. 

“They all died before they reached adulthood,” Dani whispered. 

And even worse still, 

“ _They all had white hair and blue eyes._ ” 

Dani dropped the record book in shock. The Blackwood family had been sacrificing its children in exchange for power over the course of hundreds of years. Tears welled up in Dani’s eyes. How could they do this?

“All those lives…” Dani said, her voice cracking as her throat felt thick with unshed tears. “Were those the voices of the other children who died in the fire?”

And as she tried to recall the voices on that hateful day, the flame upon her lantern flickered. The movement of something across the table caught her eye. But when she looked, nothing was there. That was, until she looked closer. 

The shadow cast by the lantern’s dim light began to stretch and move along the table’s smooth surface. Dani froze in fear, watching as the shadows moved without the refraction of the candle’s flame changing. The shadow twisted into sharp angles on their own accord, shifting and tearing until they began to take on a more familiar shape. Letters.

 _**Yes** _, the shadows spelled out. 

“D-do… do you mean to say that they were,” Dani asked, though she was unsure if the shadows could understand her. “Or do you mean to say that you _are_ the children who died in the fire?”

Those same three letters pulsed with renewed vigor, almost in response to Dani’s question. No, it _was_ in response to Dani’s question.

“Why did you save me?” Dani asked, desperate for an answer to appease her guilt.

The shadows lose their form, swirling into abstract shapes. 

“Can you not answer me, or do you not have an answer for me?” Dani asked, frustration replacing her guilt.

The shadows didn’t move. Dani sighed, running the heel of her hand down her face as she took a steadying breath. There was no need to be angry at them. They had suffered enough, and none of this was their fault.

“I get it. Simple questions, then…” Dani conceded. “Are you speaking to me through the use of magic?”

 _**Yes** _, the shadows answered.

“Is this your magic?”

_**No.** _

“Is it Arabella’s magic?”

 _**No** _ _**.**_

The letters quivered in a way that seemed to convey vehemence and disgust. And in some small part of her mind, Dani was relieved.

“Then… is it my magic?”

_**Yes.** _

Dani stuttered out a few useless sounds at this response, taken aback by the sudden revelation. 

“Am I allowed to use it freely?” Dani asked when her brain finally rebooted.

_**Yes.** _

But the letters were less sharp now, and Dani got the sense that the shadows were struggling to maintain their shape.

“It’s okay. Rest now,” Dani reassured the shadows with a soft voice.

If this power was her’s, then she would have plenty of time to ask questions later. The afternoon was coming to a close. And soon, Dani would have to go back home. She shuddered at the thought. To go home to the family that tormented her day in and day out. To live among murderers who thought nor more of her life than that of a stepping stone. That was the legacy of the Blackwood family. And if Dani went home now, her fate would be to die like all of the other children in that dreaded gazebo. 

Resentment. 

Is that why she was saved? All of those children who were sacrificed, were they still trapped in that fire? Dani thought back to all of those hands that he reached out of the flames to push her to safety. She thought about Damian and her small form began to tremble. They must have been terrified. Burning alive was a horribly painful way to die. Dani can still summon the ghosts of that pain by pressing and prodding the burn wounds on her arms. She hadn’t died in the fire that night. Dani had only been in the gazebo for a short few moments, but even that small amount of time had been unbearable. And it slowly dawned on her, why she was saved, why Dani had suddenly been gifted this power. It’s the hatred from all of the sacrificed children that had been building up over the last thousand years. 

“I will avenge you all.” Dani promised the shadows, a few stray tears slipping from her eyes. “I will make sure to tear down the Blackwood family and avenge your deaths.”

~~*~~

The moment Dani set foot back onto the estate’s grounds, she knew something was wrong. 

“Daniella!” A familiar voice had cried out in dismay. “Dani, my beloved little sister!”

The coachman had helped Dani from the carriage this time and quietly excused himself as soon as he was able. He was smart to do so, because Dani was immediately pulled into a tight embrace of lace and ribbons the second she stood on her own. Two arms wrapped around Dani’s small frame, like a boa constrictor seizing its prey. It was obvious who those arms belonged to when Dani felt the figure sag in relief as they buried their face in the crook of Dani’s shoulder, long strands of golden hair cascading down her back. Arabella had always looked so pretty in green.

Dani was rigid with shock, unsure of why she had become the target of such affections. Arabella had made such a fuss about the twins touching her things previously, saying how they’d “soil” her dresses with their dirty hands if they touched it. There was no way she’d willingly wrap her arms around Dani in a tender embrace like this one, so blue eyes were instantly on the move to look for the reason behind this strange behavior. Was someone sneaking up behind Dani? Or was Arabella trying to hide something? It wasn’t too hard to spot the small group of people that had gathered on the estate’s front steps. 

Among those guests was his Royal Highness, Prince Azariah Nakir de Vatus. A young man of lithe build and tall stature. Like the rest of the Royal Family, Prince Azariah had chestnut brown hair and handsome features. According to most social circles, he was the most sought after bachelor. Well, that was until he most recently became engaged. It made sense now to Dani why she had been welcomed back with such a warm and theatrical embrace. The last thing the Blackwoods would want is to lose any social standing by appearing in a bad light.

“Daniella, you have no idea how worried I was when I realized you and the carriage had gone missing,” Arabella sobbed into Dani’s shoulder. “Are you feeling unwell? You shouldn’t push yourself like that. Think about your health!”

Arabella pulled back from Dani, just enough that she could take the shawl from her own shoulders and wrap it around Dani’s shivering form. Dani grimaced at the gesture and Arabella pulled her in for another hug, this time bringing Dani down to hide her face in her chest.

“You will behave in front of the prince, or I will tell the maids to throw out your dinner tonight.” Arabella said, in a voice low enough for just Dani to hear.

Arabella wove her fingers in snow white strands, tugging harshly until she felt Dani wince underneath her. A subtle warning that she was serious about her threat. 

“Or do you remember what happened the last time you spilled tea on the prince?” Arabella chuckled darkly. “Perhaps we’ll just have to do that again.”

Dani shoved Arabella off her, a reflex so instinctual that she hadn’t the time to think it through. Disgust and anxiety had a firm grip around Dani’s throat, and she hadn’t been able to conceal her reaction. 

“How could you push me like that!?” Arabella cried, falling back onto the ground.

Unshed tears were brimming in her green eyes as Arabella held her face in her hands, donning the expression of a wounded victim with such grace and ease that it could only have come from performing this act several dozen times before. 

“You’re always so cruel to me, Daniella!” Arabella sobbed into her hands. 

Immediately, Dani felt all the eyes of the guests and servants fixate on her with a deep rooted judgement. But from where Dani was standing, she could see the sneer on Arabella’s expression. It was a shame no one else could see Arabella’s obvious act. With the amount of people glaring daggers at her, Dani almost felt physically wounded. Everyone was watching her now, and Dani knew that she would be scolded severely when this was all over. If this had been three days ago, Dani would have quietly lowered her head and accepted that there was nothing she could do to change the situation. She would have clung to Damian’s side and hoped that the beating wouldn’t leave permanent marks. But this situation didn’t happen three days ago, and Dani was no longer interested in being Arabella’s victim. 

“Oh, were you truly worried about me, Arabella?” Dani asked, taking a step forward to help her sister up. 

“Of course, you’re my beloved little sister.” Arabella replied easily, taking Dani’s hand for support. 

“The same beloved little sister you showed zero worry for when she was chucked into the fire?” Dani asked. 

Arabella’s grip on Dani’s hand tightened dangerously, and she tugged Dani closer so she could whisper into her ear. 

“Be quiet.” Arabella seethed, her nails digging into Dani’s wrist painfully. “What are you going to do if the prince hears you?”

But just as Arabella had scratched red marks into her wrist, Dani had also prepared a subtle threat. And the panic was evident on Arabella’s face as she instantly sensed the presence of something darker. Dani’s shadow became a little larger, more daunting, as it began to fracture and trail off like branches of a gnarled tree. And a small vein of that same inky, black shadow slithered out from under Arabella’s sleeve. It wrapped itself around her wrist, digging into the skin there just as painfully as the blonde had done to Dani not mere moments ago. 

“H-how do you have this power…?” Arabella asked, her voice shaking. 

“Shhh…” Dani chided, putting on a fake smile so that group behind Arabella would be none the wiser to her scheme. “What if the marquis finds out? I’m sure he’d be happy to hear that he finally produced an heir who was magically blessed. I wonder what would happen to you then, now that you no longer have any use to him, hm?”

Dani felt Arabella shudder under her grip. Sure that her older sister got the message, Dani let her shadow retract.

“I’m not particularly interested in winning that man’s affections. But regardless, wouldn’t that put you in trouble?” Dani remarked. 

And having dealt her finishing blow, Dani was satisfied to let Arabella have the ball in her court. The hand that had been gripping her wrist let go, and Dani could see the defeat circling around in her sister’s eyes. 

“Sorry, Daniella. I have overreacted.” Arabella said, stiffly patting Dani’s head. “Clinging to you like that must have hurt. Y-you… you’ve been out all day, you’re probably exhausted. You should rest.”

“Thank you, _Onee-chan_. I’m sorry to have worried you,” Dani replied. “I’ll take my leave now.”

Dani left Arabella standing there, completely frozen in shock. She bowed politely upon getting closer to the prince, but only just. Dani was sure that socializing with the guests would be pushing her luck anyway. As she reached for the front door’s handle, a hand suddenly seized her by the arm. Having been grabbed enough for today, Dani recoiled instantly. Doing so, Dani’s sleeve ripped from the shoulder seam when the hand moved to grab the closet part of her it could. Mr. Blackwood, who was the cause of the rip, had also torn Dani’s bandages loose in his hasty attempt to restrain her. And in a cruel twist of fate, Dani’s burn wounds were now on display for everyone to see. There were a few quiet whispers and soft gasps from the crowd that accompanied the reveal.

“Ah, you’ll have to excuse me, Father.” Dani said, taking her sleeve back from Mr. Blackwood's hand. “I’m sorry to cut our conversation short, but I’m sure whatever you have to say can wait until I change into more presentable attire.”

Mr. Blackwood could only stare at Dani, the same social rules that he had been using against his youngest daughter had now turned on him. Now everyone was staring and whispering about the marquis. Dani had to admit it, using the guests as an excuse was a particularly cunning and powerful move. Her father and sister were smart people. It’s a shame they were so awful. 

Taking this opportunity, Dani excused herself from the group and made her way into the estate. She marched her way up to her bedroom, knowing that her triumphant win, as well as this momentary period of peace and quiet, would last as long as the company’s stay. And Dani wanted to make as much use out of it as she could. Surprisingly, no one bothered Dani for the rest of the evening. No one bothered to bring her any food, of course. But for the first time in a long time, Dani had been able to get a peaceful night’s sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the random Japanese honorific dropped in this chapter. I originally wrote this in Japanese, and decided to translate into English when I started transferring this over. But there isn't really an English equivalent, at least not one I believe fits the scene well enough, so I abandoned the idea of changing it. It probably reads a bit cringey, so I'll probably change it later.
> 
> T/N: "Onee-chan" is a cutesy way of referring to an older sister.


	3. The Demon That Bleeds Flame

Dani had woken up the next morning to find that her bedroom door was unlocked. She hadn’t thought that her performance yesterday was bad enough to scare people off like this, but she supposed that was the result she ended up with. Dani had figured that running off yesterday would have caused Mr. Blackwood to limit her freedoms, but considering that wasn’t the case, Dani was not about to complain. 

“Oh, Miss! I was just about to bring you your breakfast,” A maid said when she ran into Dani on the stairs. 

Dani could see the singular chipped bowl and silverware set on top of the tray that maid was carrying. Even from where she stood, Dani could tell that the dish was cold. And from the smell, Dani knew that it was the leftover water from when the chef boiled potatoes last night. Having eaten that dish for several months on end, Dani found that its taste only grew more and more revolting each time she had it. 

“Ah, thank you… But I think I will pass up on breakfast this morning.” Dani refused as politely as she could. “You can throw it out or save it for later, whatever doesn’t get you in trouble with Father.”

The maid nodded and gave a curt bow, flattening herself against the stairs’ banister so that Dani could continue her descendance without further hindrance. Dani figured she could have kicked up a fuss like she had done with the coachman yesterday, and even with Arabella, but she planned to sneak out again today. If she drew anymore attention to herself, Mr. Blackwood might be called and her plans for today would come to a halt. And considering Dani was taking this risky mission a little bit further by sneaking into Mr. Blackwood's private study, she would like to avoid as much attention as physically possible. Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood were eating breakfast in the dining room with Arabella at this time, so all Dani had to do was avoid running into any staff while she was sneaking in and out of the study. It was the one of the many places that the twins were  _ expressly _ forbidden from entering. 

Mr. Blackwood's study was a grand room on the first floor. It had a dark oak door and bookshelves that took up the entire left hand wall. That’s where Dani’s prize was. She pushed open the door carefully, knowing that it would creak if the door was more than halfway ajar. Thankfully, Dani was a small girl and could slip inside the cracked door easily. 

“History… history of economics, history of trade routes…” Dani read aloud, running her fingers along the spines of the books. 

Dani had collected some information when she had visited the library yesterday. With that, she now had some leverage to hold over Mr. Blackwood's head. However, that information wasn’t powerful enough on its own. If Dani wanted her ideal revenge of dismantling the Blackwood family to come to fruition, she would need more than this. 

“Ah, found it!” Dani exclaimed softly as she pulled a book from the shelf. “History of Noble Families in the Vatus Empire.”

She needed allies. The Blackwoods were an esteemed noble family with many connections, so taking them down herself would be impossible. Dani had to find a way to protect herself from their sphere of influence. And the best way to do that would be to find someone who viewed the Blackwoods as a common enemy. They would need to be powerful, too. Otherwise, the Blackwood family would snuff out her rebellion and ruin another family. If someone like that existed, their name would be in this book.

Now armed with the knowledge of a well authored book, Dani thought it would be best to make her retreat as fast as possible. She could probably get away with taking the book with her. There were so many in here, and Dani can’t remember the last time she saw Mr. Blackwood consult any texts. She tucked the book under her arm, pushing the door open to peer out in the hallway. Seeing that it was clear, Dani exited and closed the door behind her. The perfect crime!

“Coachman, please drive around the east side for a bit. I’ll need to read a bit before I can decide on a destination,” Dani ordered.

And without any trouble, the coachman helped Dani into the carriage and did as she asked. It was only when the Blackwood Estate was no larger than a dollhouse that Dani felt safe enough to crack open the spoils of her heist. 

The book was fairly detailed, though a little outdated. Some of these names were unfamiliar, which led Dani to believe they had fallen from status or had merged with another house. But she didn’t need to worry about people with names like that. There weren’t many people who outranked a Marquis, so Dani had limited it to those who fell in that category. 

“If worst comes to worst, I could befriend multiple smaller houses.” Dani reasoned with herself, turning a page in the book. “But that will take time and resources I don’t have. And the more people I talk to, the more likely it is someone will leak my plans to the marquis.”

Dani sighed heavily. It was disheartening to see how little people there were that fit the criteria she was looking for. And as she began to cross out names, finding flaws or complications within these families, Dani was starting to think there might not be anyone who could stand toe-to-toe with the Blackwoods. She couldn’t give up, though. Dani took a moment to reignite the flame of determination inside of her. Like a damp lighter, the flame flickered a few times before it finally caught. And that’s when she noticed it. Two pages were stuck together. 

Dani had been over the entire book, but she must have missed this the first time around. They weren’t stuck together because she had been hasty. It looked like someone used glue to stick the edges together. Dani picked at the corners carefully, separating them to reveal an entirely new page of information. 

“The Ironglades,” Dani read the name at the top of the page with a soft reverence.

The Ironglades family crest even looked powerful, a shield pierced by three separate swords. According to the text, the Ironglades were a powerful house that had a long history dating back before the empire’s establishment. Prior to the incident resulting in her spilling tea on the crown prince, Dani had been to a few social events as Arabella’s maid. But Dani couldn’t recall anyone being introduced with that surname. And unfortunately, the last heir recorded as the Ironglades legacy was someone who Dani recognized as deceased. That man had been a general in the Royal Army, and passed away during the last war. But that would make sense as to why the Ironglades weren’t seen in social gatherings very often. The general was well known as a polarizing individual, and he didn’t get along with most people. The Ironglades were social outcasts by the time the war was won. But even still… they were a powerful force that helped turn the tides of many battles. And for their bravery and power, the family had been awarded the noble title of ‘Duke’. 

The book was outdated, so perhaps within the passing years, another person has inherited the prestigious title. Sure, it was unlikely since the Ironglades haven’t been seen at any social gatherings. But there were other ways to maintain a noble title, rather than establish connections with others in social circles. After all, if one could make themselves indispensable-- like becoming a powerful force on the battlefield-- then one could get away with letting their social image decline.

“War heroes in charge of a socially outcast Dukedom… sounds like the perfect family to challenge the Blackwoods,” Dani remarked. 

Dani sat up on her knees so she could slide the wooden panel above her aside, the coachman slowing the horses down when he noticed. 

“Please head to the Ironglade estate,” Dani requested. 

“Th-the Ironglade estate!?” The coachman parroted with panic and confusion. “Why would you want to go somewhere so dangerous?”

Dani was genuinely surprised by the coachman’s response. But she was relieved to hear that the Dukedom was still active.

“Is it really that awful of a place?” Dani asked. “I thought the Ironglades were war heroes?”

“They are, but only because of their monstrous strength!” The coachman went on to tell. “And the only reason they’re so strong is because they’ve mixed their bloodline with demons!”

“That would also explain why they’re not invited anywhere…” Dani thought aloud. “But are they really mixed with demons?”

“Yes, Miss!” The coachman answered quickly. “They’re all monstrously tall and strong. I even heard that the current Duchess hides in her estate because half of her face is covered in scales!”

“Hiding away in her own estate, huh?” Dani said thoughtfully. “Well, you should always invite a lonely person to come play with you. It’s not fun being left out, wouldn’t you say?”

“Y-yes, Miss… I’ll head there right away.” The coachman answered, though Dani could see the hesitation and fear weighing down on the man’s shoulders. 

The Ironglade Estate was situated on eight large acres in the hills that made up the very edge of the capital city’s outskirts. The noble district in the capital was well known for being neighbor-sparse, as the estates owned by those prestigious families were large and unnecessarily extravagant. But this land took that idea a step further. There were no neighbors around for miles, not even the small hut of some commoner was tucked away in this barren scenery. It had taken two hours to arrive here by carriage, as well. The Ironglades were completely isolated out here. Dani had thought that the rumors were only just that, but considering how people were taking great care to avoid the infamous family, maybe there was some truth to them after all…

The coach pulled up to the iron wrought gate, seemingly the only way past the old stone walls that kept the mansion separated from the outside world. Ivy and fern grew through the small gaps in the stonework, which made the place seem even further removed from time and reality than it was already. Dani peaked through the fence to try and see what kind of mansion that Ironglades could possibly reside in. It was a colossal structure, from what Dani could see from her obstructed view. It loomed proudly behind a private driveway made of stone. The residence itself was comprised of long island stak stonework and accented with ridges of white marble. At its threshold stood a delicate marble fountain and a row of skeletal trees, all barren likely due to the harsh climate of this year’s winter. The view was most certainly daunting and a bit intimidating, but Dani couldn’t help but find the décor majestic. In the warm sun of spring, this estate was sure to look like the illustrations found in fairy tales. 

The coachman helped Dani from the carriage and Dani asked him to wait for her here while she went to talk to the soldier she noticed standing guard on the inside of the gate. The soldier looked confused, but was rather dutiful in trying to keep his expression as neutral as possible.

“Excuse me, sir,” Dani said to trigger a proper conversation with the guard.

The soldier dropped his spear to the side and turned to Dani, clearly not finding this little girl much of a threat. And though he was doing his best to be a professional guard, it was obvious that the man wasn’t capable of acting hostile to a child, even if she was a stranger approaching his boss’ home. 

“How can I help you, Miss?” The guard asked. 

“Would you please inform the duchess that the daughter of the Blackwood family, Daniella Blackwood, would like to request an audience with her?” Dani said, offering the man a polite smile. “I know that it might be tough, since I didn’t send any word in advance. But it’s very important that I meet with the duchess.” 

The shock that crossed the guard’s face had been obvious. But he could see that Dani had been serious, so he nodded and remarked that he would relay the message.

The soldier jogged off towards the estate, with Dani waiting patiently behind. And Dani waited. And waited. But the guard with whom she spoke never returned. An hour went by, and Dani still stood loyally outside of the gate. Then, a few hours passed by.

“Miss Daniella, we should go back. Aren’t you cold?” The coachman piped up, unable to stand the cold himself. “At this rate, you’ll be scolded by the marquis. He’s a frightening man, please reconsider.”

Dani was indeed shivering from the cold. But she only shook her head. 

“You may return, if you’d like.” Dani remarked offhandedly. 

“But… how will you return without a carriage?” The coachman asked.

“Go, I can take care of myself,” Dani replied. “But don’t say a word of the Ironglades. Tell Father I’m going to spend the night at the temple to wash away my sins.”

“I would be lying to the Master, though,” The coachman protested. 

“Better than evoking Hell’s wrath by dropping the duchess’ name for no reason,” Dani reasoned. “If you don’t want to be the focus of the marquis’ ire, then only inform him of what I stated.”

The coachman hopped onto the carriage’s lead, taking the horses’ reins once more. He grimaced at Dani’s words, but she could tell he was taking them into serious consideration. 

“Then I will send word. Please don’t forget I tried to stop you!” The coachman called over his shoulder, flicking the reins. “Whatever happens next will be on you!”

And then, Dani was all alone. Dani cupped her hands in front of her mouth so she could breath warm air into them. The soft clouds of white fog her warm breath created were both beneficial to her circulation, and amusing to watch fade away. Dani wished that she had taken the shawl that Arabella had wrapped around her yesterday, though she knew that the blonde would have kicked up a fuss about her “stealing” it if she had. Hopefully, Dani wouldn’t have to stand out here for much longer. 

~~*~~

Dani had heard that time was like a thief, sneaking around to steal what you had when you least expected it. When you’re distracted by fun, the master thief comes to pilfer the hours away. And while you’re busy living, you suddenly find yourself to be eighty without realizing all those years had passed. But Dani didn’t think that now. Time marched on like a legless turtle. It was so present in her mind, that Dani felt as if she could physically feel time passing around her. Time folded in on itself, pushing and pulling like the waves of the ocean until its shape became so abstract, Dani couldn’t remember how long she had been waiting. The sun was starting to set now, and considering that she had left the Blackwood estate in the early morning, it must have been quite awhile. 

But that was fine with Dani. The freezing cold temperature and the mind bending boredom of waiting? That’s what being locked in her bedroom usually felt like. Though, Dani could at least sit down or sleep while she waited. So waiting like this wasn’t entirely painless, especially when her feet began to ache from standing so long. But Dani was determined to meet the duchess today. She wouldn’t turn back just because her feet hurt. Besides, this was the one family that could reliably face the Blackwoods without major consequences. Arguably, this was Dani’s one chance to gain the allies she needed to protect herself. If the duchess would  _ just _ grant her an audience, then Dani was sure she would be safe. 

“Miss! Miss!” The guard from earlier called as he came running up to the gate. 

He was out of breath, looking both exhausted and excited at once. He doubled over for a moment, panting as if he had been made to run around the perimeter of the estate a few times. The guard stuck the pointy end of his spear in the ground, leaning against it for support as he swallowed hard. 

“Are you okay, sir?” Dani asked worriedly.

“The duchess has invited you up for tea!” The guard exclaimed, finally having enough energy to speak. “I’m sorry you were made to wait so long. Hurry in, it’s cold out here.”

Dani was quickly ushered inside of the estate by the guard, who she waved goodbye to when she was handed off to the house servants. 

“Please, have a seat while you wait for the duchess,” Dani had been instructed. 

Dani sat down on the plush sofa in the drawing room, blue eyes scanning over the room’s decor. It was warm inside the manor, which made Dani press her hands to her cheeks to contrast the temperatures. Within a few moments, a staff member returned with a small tray in her hand. 

The lady looked to be in her late sixties, her silver hair neatly styled in a short and well manicured bob cut. She wore a black vest over a crisp white shirt, which she matched with a pair of grey pinstripe pants. Both were made of a very fine material. And on her right eye, the lady wore a golden monocle. 

“Are you still cold?” The lady asked, closing the room’s door behind her. 

She was serving Dani tea, so the lady must have been a servant. But her uniform looked too nice to belong to a simple maid. Perhaps she was a head maid? But then why would she personally serve Dani some tea?

“I’m alright,” Dani replied with an easy smile. “The manor is warm, so I’m slowly getting feeling back in my fingers.”

“My name is Elise, the majordomo of the Ironglade Estate.” The lady introduced herself, giving a polite bow. “If you need anything at all while you’re here, please do not hesitate to let me know.”

Dani was quick to bow her head back, wanting to give Elise the respect she deserved. 

“I made the wrong assumption that you were a maid, and I feel like I should apologize,” Dani admitted sheepishly. 

Elise smiled, chuckling softly as she placed the tray she had been carrying down on the coffee table.

“It’s quite alright. A female butler comes across a bit strange, doesn’t it?”

Dani was quick to shake her head. 

“Even though I’ve spoken with you just for a little, you come off very refined and professional. I think that title suits you,” Dani replied. 

“You’re very kind, Miss Blackwood,” Elise said, offering Dani a warm smile. “I’ve brought you some tea to help warm you up.”

Elise places the teacup upon its matching saucer, shifting the cup’s handle to protrude at the perfect angle for holding, before handing it over to Dani. 

“For a young lady like yourself, a cup of hot chocolate would have been better. But the children of this house have long outgrown the favoring of sweets.” Elise remarked with a soft sigh. “Thus, we only had this tea. But I made sure to stir in a lot of sugar to make up for it. Please help yourself.”

“Thank you!” Dani hummed happily as she took the cup from Elise.

The porcelain cup had become heated because of its contents, and Dani took a moment to let its temperature warm her hands. The tea had a pleasant aroma, as well. But it was as Dani was bringing the cup to her lips, that the cup tilted and she lost her grip on its handle. The teacup clattered to the ground, the refreshment spilling on the floor before it finally rolled to a stop. 

“O-oh, I’m so sorry!” Dani said, instantly getting down on her knees to pat the rug dry with the hem of her dress. “I’ll clean it up right away!”

“Miss,” Elise called softly, placing a gentle hand on Dani’s wrist to stop her. “It’s alright. The rug can be washed and we can brew the tea again. The teacup wasn’t broken, either.”

Dani hadn’t realized that her hands were shaking until Elise took them into her own. She knelt besides Dani, looking at her with a fond and kind expression. Dani is shocked for a moment, unsure of how to react to such a patient response. She was so sure that she would have gotten yelled at, especially considering what had happened the last time she spilled tea. And now that they were this close, Dani could see that Elise had brown eyes. Brown eyes that were rich and warm like the tea she had served Dani.

“With hands as frozen as this, it was bound to happen.” Elise said, ever the understanding person. “Please take a seat. I will clean up the mess.”

“B-but…” Dani tried to protest as she was ushered back to the sofa. 

“Here, please wait with this warm blanket draped over you.” Elise continued, bulldozing right through Dani’s hesitation. “You are a guest in this home, so these are things you shouldn’t have to worry about. I will prepare some more tea for you.”

“Ah, th… th-thank you very much,” Dani said shyly. 

And no sooner had Elise promised this then did the door open. Elise gave a curt bow as a woman stepped into the room. 

“My apologies, Miss Blackwood.” The woman said, her tone even and steady. “I did not mean to keep you waiting.”

The woman immediately commanded the attention of the room, just by entering. She shouldered confidence with pride and walked with purpose, the true hallmarks of an expensive noble education. This woman, who Dani was now deducing to be Duchess Ironglade, had a striking appearance. Her hair flowed down her back like someone had tilted an inkwell on its side. The duchess parted her hair down the middle, but long strands of her hair covered the right side of her face. And when she glanced Dani’s way, the young girl caught sight of… a mask? Dani once had hair of the same hue, but she didn’t think her own hair had ever given off such a shiny and silky glint. The duchess was dressed in fine silks, which consisted of a black one piece suit and a royal blue robe that had been tied around her waist with a silver sash. And upon closer inspection, Dani could make out detailed embroidery done around the robe’s collar and sleeves that had been made with fine silver thread. But what caught Dani’s attention the most was the fact that the duchess was at least an entire head taller than her father-- no, not just her father-- than any of the soldiers her family employed.

“Oh, my. Such an adorable young lady has come to visit,” The duchess remarked with a quiet chuckle. “She’s even stolen the heart of my butler in just a few minutes.”

The duchess couldn’t help but smile. Dani had been blinking up at her in amazement, sparkles of excitement reflecting back at her from those big, blue eyes. Adorable, indeed. 

“Ah, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Duchess Ironglade.” Dani said, bowing her head as she neatly folded her hands in her lap. “Thank you for granting me an audience. I’m sure it must have been inconvenient, since I didn’t give prior notice.”

“It’s quite alright.” The duchess said, holding up a hand as she took a seat in the arm chair opposite of Dani. “Besides, you did your fair share of waiting.”

There came a soft rapping at the door, and Elise let in a maid with another tray of tea. But this time, there was also a small plate of finger sandwiches. Dani was grateful, of course. However, things were just getting started. She had been granted an audience finally, but now she had to convince the duchess to join in her fight against the marquis. Though now Dani felt like she had fallen into the belly of the beast. If anyone was going to be doing any devouring, it wouldn’t be Dani. 

“Now, Miss Blackwood,” The duchess prompted. “You were quite brave to come all by yourself to a place colloquially known as the ‘Demon Duchess’ terf’. I assume you must have a good reason, may I hear it?”


End file.
